The present invention relates to an image processing device capable of reading the image of a document, and then printing a different image on the document. With this kind of device, any person can, for example, mark any kind of examination paper easily and output marks on the paper.
Generally, a digital copier or similar image processing device includes reading means for reading a document located at a preselected reading position, storing means for storing image data generated by the reading means, and outputting means for outputting the image data on a paper brought to a preselected outputting position. This conventional image processing device mainly concentrates on the function of transferring an image representative of the document to the paper. Specifically, a function of reading a document and then printing an extra image on the document has not been available with an image processing device of the type described.
In education facilities including schools and private schools, tests are frequently given for the purpose of confirming the students' or learners' degrees of progress, qualifying them, or determining enrollment. Traditionally, examination papers have been marked by examiners or teachers by hand. In the event of examinations for entrance and qualification as well as large-scale trial examinations, papers are marked by a number of persons or by an automatic marking system using a computer.
However, marking examination papers by hand is time- and labor-consuming and, moreover, likely to result in erroneous marks. For the automatic marking system, use is often made of mark sheets for allowing examinees to answer questions by a predetermined method, e.g., by filling answer frames printed on the sheets. Mark sheets, however, limit the answering method to extremely simple one. In addition, an exclusive device for marking mark sheets is needed which is capable of reading and marking a great number of mark sheets in a short period of time. This kind of device needs a large capacity memory and is extremely expensive. Further, the device is not feasible for the individual school or private school because it is large scale and must be operated by an experienced person. The device, lacking capabilities other than the capability of reading mark sheets, must be purchased as an exclusive device, obstructing down-sizing. Moreover, because the device does not enter marks on examination papers, it is impossible to return marked papers to examinees for future study or to report the per-question marks to examinees.
There has recently bee developed an automatic marking and totalizing system capable of directly marking any kind of examination papers, including mark sheets, and implemented as a device for personal use. Specifically, a teacher, for example, sets an examination paper at a preselected position on a table, and marks each answer with a circle, cross and so forth by using a red pen or the like, as in the traditional manual marking scheme. Then, the device reads them automatically, calculates total marks, writes the resulting data in a database, and thereby prepares an individual result list while producing the ratio of correct answers or the average marks on a question basis.
However, even the above automatic system does not contribute to labor-saving to a noticeable degree for the following reasons. Circles, crosses and other symbols for marking must be entered on papers by hand. Total marks must be transferred to a paper while it is displayed on a display.